Waxwings

Have you seen this bird?

There is currently an invasion of waxwings along the Clyde and some were seen in Milngavie on Friday.

Waxwings are rare visitors from Scandinavia which come here when the food supply gets low at home. Invasions have become more frequent in recent years. The birds are normally seen in flocks, often perched in a medium-sized tree and flying down to bushes such as cotoneaster and pyracantha to feed on the berries. They are about the same size as starlings and can be easily recognised by their crests and colours.

If you see any, please send details of the number seen, location, date and time if possible to the webmaster, Sarah Longrigg, at the email address shown on the MERA website.

For more information, see the Milngavie Herald

Local Development Plan

Local Development Plan – Pre Main Issues Report Housing Land Supply

The following information will be distributed to residents in the form of a flyer.

A representative from the Association recently attended an Engagement Workshop regarding the above.  Work is currently at an advanced stage in researching the Main Issues Report, which will support the preparation of a new Local Development Plan (LDP) for the area.  The LDP will replace the current Local Plan 2 and should be adopted in 2016.  The plan will guide the future use of land, set out proposals for development and, crucially, will provide the framework for considering planning applications.

EDC have identified that there is an unmet need for affordable housing within the area.  The Glasgow and Clyde Valley Strategic Development Plan and EDC Local Housing Strategy have confirmed that there is a significant shortfall in the level of affordable housing and private housing.  Some people are confused about the term affordable housing; this would previously have been local authority housing.  However these developments tend to be run by housing associations such as Key Housing, Cube Housing etc. EDC build very little properties themselves for subsequent rental. It is unknown whether the housing associations have to provide housing for a certain percentage of local people to rent. The term private housing is self-explanatory.  However it is unclear whether any developer in the private housing sector would be obliged to build first time buyer and smaller private housing.

The Development and Enterprise Policy Team at EDC presented suitable sites which could possibly be used to meet the shortfall of housing.  There were many throughout Milngavie and Bearsden, some very suitable and some not so suitable in the opinions of those present at the workshop, and opinions were varied.  In addition, at the Milngavie presentation EDC officials did not provide details of other areas identified throughout East Dunbartonshire and it was felt this information should have been provided.  MERA understand this was made available to the Bishopbriggs and Lennoxtown workshops.

The sites nearest our Association area are Craigton Woods, the woodland just off Hunter Road going up the hill towards Cauldstream Place, and the fields to the right and left of Chestnut Lane. One of the fields borders properties in Cauldstream Place, Dalnair Place and Dumbrock Road. Slightly further out are Tambowie Farm, Langfaulds fields (this is opposite Windyhill Golf Course), and Clober Golf Course.  There are other sites throughout Milngavie and Bearsden. We have not listed them all but they are available on the EDC website. As far as MERA is aware many of these sites have special designations on them within the current Local Plan 2 e.g. Greenbelt, Heritage Site, Ancient Woodland, Area of Special Interest to Wildlife, Tree Preservation Orders etc.  In order for them to be considered for housing the designation would require to be changed in the new proposed Local Development Plan. A couple of points to note also are the road infrastructure and the forthcoming primary school estate consultation.

Further information can also be found on the EDC website.

The Association appreciates that some residents may wish more information and to log their own views with EDC and their local elected members. Contact details for the local councillors can be found on the EDC website.

To contact MERA, please see the MERA contacts page.

Milngavie heritage events

As well as on Doors Open Day, the Milngavie Heritage Centre will be open for 3 days on 28th & 29th September and 1st October 2012 for the Heritage Festival. Again there will be a display on the Milngavie Story.

Milngavie Heritage and History Group
This group meets in Milngavie Community Education Centre, Allander Road, Milngavie. Their next meeting will be on 4 October 2012 at 2 p.m. when a talk on Milngavie’s history will be given.

Doors Open Day

Saturday 8th September is Doors Open Day, and you have the opportunity to visit buildings not normally open to the public as well as others that are staging special events.

The Milngavie Heritage Centre will be open for Doors Open Day. You are invited to come along and see their displays in the Centre, which is in the former Court Room at Milngavie Town Hall. Come and view Milngavie’s stories. Some of the displays will be on show for the first time. The Centre will be open from 10am-4pm.

There will also be guided historical walks round the ‘New Town’ of Milngavie starting from Milngavie Heritage Centre, Milngavie Town Hall, Station Road, Milngavie G62 8BZ

Walk Times:
Railway Station Walk – Duration 30 mins. approx. Times – 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Woodburn Villas Walk – Duration 1 hour approx. Time – 1 p.m.

For details of all the activities on Doors Open Day, see the EDLC website.

119 bus terminus

Cllr Gibbons has arranged for an extra bin to be installed at the bus stop and is arranging for a 'no idling' notice to be erected at the site too. It is appreciated that residents still do not wish for a terminus there, but these steps will address some of the issues.

National Poop Scoop Week 2012

This week is National Poop Scoop Week 2012. The Council has launched the ‘Where do you stand on dog poo?’ campaign to tackle dog fouling throughout the area.

Further details can be found on the Council website.

If you are a dog owner, we trust you are already bagging it and binning it. Whether you are a dog owner or not, let's try to tackle this. Complaints about dog fouling can be made to the EDC Environmental and Community Protection Team on 0141 578 8814. For further information, and how to contact them by email, see the Council website page on dog fouling .

Police meetings

Once again, the local police will be holding a series of meetings which residents can attend. These will be held in the Fraser Centre and Bearsden Burgh Hall from 6.30-7.30pm on Wednesday, June 6, and in Westerton Hall, Bearsden, on Wednesday, June 27, also from 6.30 till 9.30pm.

Tesco meeting

You can find out more about Tesco's plans on Wednesday June 6th at 7.30pm at the Fraser Centre, when Tesco will present their ideas to Milngavie Community Council. The public may attend.

Cala exhibition

There will be an exhibition about the revised Cala proposals at the Allander Leisure Centre on 31 May 2012 from 2 - 8 p.m.

Tesco update, May 2012

There will be exhibitions taking place next week to show Tesco's latest proposals for their new store in Milngavie. The timetable for these exhibitions is as follows:

Milngavie Community Education Centre	Thursday, June 7 from noon – 8pm
	Friday, June 8 from 10am – 6pm
Milngavie Tesco store	Saturday, June 9 from 9am – noon

MERA AGM

You are invited to attend the Annual General Meeting of MERA which will be held in Clober Primary School, Milngavie on Wednesday 6 June 2012 at 7.30 pm.

Damage to Field and Fencing

Would residents who border the farmland at Craigdhu please note that we have had a request from the local farmer to ensure that garden waste and rubbish is not dumped into his fields as this is a hazard to cattle.

Furthermore, he has noted that some garden fences and borders have come down and he has strongly requested that residents replace and/or secure their properties as cattle will be put into the fields shortly.

We would thank you for your co-operation.

Local Transport Strategy

East Dunbartonshire Council is about to update its Local Transport Strategy, and residents' views are invited.

A series of drop-in sessions will be held this week, and there is also the opportunity to complete a questionnaire online.

The drop-in sessions will be:
Monday 12th March, 10am -12.30pm, Brookwood Library - Bearsden
Tuesday 13th March, 10am -12.30pm, Allander Sports Centre
Wednesday 14th March, 1.30 - 3.30pm, William Patrick Library Kirkintilloch
Thursday 15th March, 10am -12.30pm, Bishopbriggs Library
Friday 16th March, 10am -12.30pm, Lennoxtown Library

For further details, please see the EDC website at
http://www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/news/news_archive/2012/local_transport_strategy.aspx?lang=en-gb

Heritage Week

As part of the Local History Week, Milngavie Heritage Centre will be holding an exhibition within the Heritage Centre which is now located within the former District Court Room at the Town Hall. Following on from the success of their last Heritage Week, the theme for this exhibition is Sport.

There will be an opening ceremony at 10 a.m. on Saturday 3 March 2012 and the Centre will be open from 3-10 March except Sunday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.

There will also be two additional talks on Monday 5 March and Wednesday 7 March both at 7.30 p.m. The Monday night presentation will be a general one on sport within the area. The Wednesday night will be a short presentation and question and answer session on the West Highland Way. Mr Tom Hunter who originally started the West Highland Way over 30 years ago will be in attendance. This is a good opportunity to ask questions or learn a bit about the Way.

For more information about this and other events in the Local History week, please see the publicity material produced by the council.

Change to 119 bus route

Residents may wish to note that First Bus will be withdrawing the section of route between Castlemains Estate and Baljaffray with effect from Sunday 29th April. The timetable will also change, but the frequency is expected to remain the same.

Fares are also likely to rise as from the beginning of April.

For further information see the Firstgroup website.

Can you help to clean up on Saturday?

Milngavie in Bloom is looking for people who can help to clear up litter blown around by the recent gales.

Meet the Clean Sweep Initiative team outside the Fraser Centre at 10am on Saturday and they will provide collection bags, gloves and litter picks.

Meeting with the owner about Craigton Woods

A meeting has taken place between the owner of Craigton Woods and local councillors, to discuss its future.

For futher information, see the Milngavie Herald website.

Trees down in Craigton Woods

We have been asked to let residents know that several trees have been blown down in Craigton Woods, and these are hanging over the path.

Anyone using the Core Path through the woods should do so with care, or take an alternative route along Craigton Road.

Tesco's to attend the next MERA committee meeting

A representative of Tesco will be attending the next Mains Estate Residents' Association committee meeting.

This meeting will be held in Room F118, Douglas Academy, on 11 January 2012 at 7.30 p.m.

Any residents are welcome to attend the committee meeting to observe, and to hear the presentation by Tesco and ask any questions they may have regarding the proposed development.

More storm damage

Yet more storms.

Some pictures taken after last Tuesday's gales.

Three fallen trees along the footpath through the park by Hunter Road

Another tree in the park suffers damage, and one of many fallen fences


This fallen fence on Hunter Road landed on the post box

A fallen tree blocking the road in Muirlees Crescent

Council workmen clearing a fallen tree at the corner of Falloch Road and Hunter Road

Policing meetings

Meetings are being held quarterly for people to hear about and discuss local policing issues.

The next meeting will be held at the Fraser Centre from 6.30pm until 7.30pm on 4th January.

For further information, see the Milngavie Herald.

We wish you all a very happy New Year.